Building memories: Couple cope with unexpected diagnosis
|
|
(click the phrases to see a list)
Click to view (5 Photos)
With each swing of the mallet, the fence post was pounded deeper into the ground.
Gary Stewart focused on his work, pausing to assess where he needed to strike before delivering each blow. The strength that served him in the U.S. Navy as a young man and as a body builder in California was still evident in the 66 year old.
He flexed his arms in a strongman pose, smiling widely as he declared, “Alzheimer’s? What Alzheimer’s?”
Gary Stewart was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease seven years ago. While the disease has affected his memory, it has not prevented him from enjoying life as he has in the past. He still plays the piano and quotes from movies in his massive collection of DVDs.
This story appears in the print edition of Daily Journal. Subscribers can read the entire story online by signing in here or in our e-Edition by clicking here.
